Return Value

The returned value of this function is the SDS ID of the newly-created dataset.

Arguments

SDinterface_id

An SD ID as returned by HDF_SD_START.

Name

A string containing the name of the variable to be created.

Dims

A 1-based vector specifying the dimensions of the variable. If an UNLIMITED dimension is desired, set the last vector element to zero or a negative number.

Keywords

BYTE

Set this keyword to indicate that the dataset is composed of bytes. Data will be stored with the HDF DFNT_UINT8 data type. Setting this keyword is the same as setting the DFNT_UINT8 keyword.

DFNT_CHAR8

Set this keyword to create a data set of HDF type DFNT_CHAR8. Setting this keyword is the same as setting the STRING keyword.

DFNT_FLOAT32

Set this keyword to create a data set of HDF type DFNT_FLOAT32. Setting this keyword is the same as setting the FLOAT keyword.

DFNT_FLOAT64

Set this keyword to create a data set of HDF type DFNT_FLOAT64. Setting this keyword is the same as setting the DOUBLE keyword.

DFNT_INT8

Set this keyword to create a data set of HDF type DFNT_INT8.

Note: IDL does not have a signed 8-bit integer type. When writing the data to the file using DFNT_INT8, byte values from 0-127 will be written unchaged, while byte values from 128-255 will be wrapped into the range -127 to -1. When reading data of type DFNT_INT8 from the file into IDL, values from 0-127 will be read in unchanged, while values from -127 to -1 will be wrapped into the byte range 128 to 255.

DFNT_INT16

Set this keyword to create a data set of HDF type DFNT_INT16. Setting this keyword is the same as setting either the INT keyword or the SHORT keyword.

DFNT_INT32

Set this keyword to create a data set of HDF type DFNT_INT32. Setting this keyword is the same as setting the LONG keyword.

DFNT_UINT8

Set this keyword to create a data set of HDF type DFNT_UINT8. Setting this keyword is the same as setting the BYTE keyword.

DFNT_UINT16

Set this keyword to create a data set of HDF type DFNT_UINT16.

DFNT_UINT32

Set this keyword to create a data set of HDF type DFNT_UINT32.

DOUBLE

Set this keyword to indicate that the dataset is composed of double-precision floating-point values. Data will be stored with the HDF DFNT_FLOAT64 data type. Setting this keyword is the same as setting the DFNT_FLOAT64 keyword.

FLOAT

Set this keyword to indicate that the dataset is composed of single-precision floating-point values. Data will be stored with the HDF DFNT_FLOAT32 data type. Setting this keyword is the same as setting the DFNT_FLOAT32 keyword.

HDF_TYPE

Set this keyword to the type of data set to create. Valid values are: DFNT_CHAR8, DFNT_FLOAT32, DFNT_FLOAT64, DFNT_INT8, DFNT_INT16, DFNT_INT32, DFNT_UINT8, DFNT_UINT16, DFNT_UINT32.

INT

Set this keyword to indicate that the dataset is composed of 2-byte integers. Data will be stored with the HDF DFNT_INT16 data type. Setting this keyword is the same as setting either the SHORT keyword or the DFNT_INT16 keyword.

LONG

Set this keyword to indicate that the dataset is composed of longword integers. Data will be stored with the HDF DFNT_INT32 data type. Setting this keyword is the same as setting the DFNT_INT32 keyword.

SHORT

Set this keyword to indicate that the dataset is composed of 2-byte integers. Data will be stored with the HDF DFNT_INT16 data type. Setting this keyword is the same as setting either the INT keyword or the DFNT_INT16 keyword.

STRING

Set this keyword to indicate that the dataset is composed of strings. Data will be stored with the HDF DFNT_CHAR8 data type. Setting this keyword is the same as setting the DFNT_CHAR8 keyword.